December 5, 2018
A long, long, time ago, in a land that lies far, far away, our tale begins with a young woman named Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn was the youngest child of a large family. A family that did not have many of the luxuries of life as she grew up, but a family with a mother and father that always looked to give Gwendolyn all she could truly need. As Gwendolyn grew, her parents help plant two loves in her, a love for baking, and a love for Christ. Gwendolyn loved to bake, and even after both her parents passed, and her siblings had moved away, Gwendolyn still turned each day to her second love. Every day, the whole neighborhood, could smell the aroma from the goods that Gwendolyn baked. A smell so sweet, that it would draw all to her house like a moth to flames. All day long, she would sell the goods she baked, to support her modest lifestyle. And with each good she baked, she would attach a little handwritten note, that always pointed all to her first love. She would tie a single piece of paper to each baked good, that simply quoted her favorite verse from Scripture. “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”(Psalm 119:103). Each time attached as she looked to thank the Lord for the gift He had given her, and as her way of reminding all of the gift He had given everyone.
As the years past, Gwendolyn’s baked goods became known throughout the kingdom, as people would travel from miles around to sample the sweetness of all that Gwendolyn would make each day. Soon, the popularity of Gwendolyn’s goods, also drew the attention of another in the kingdom, one who had always seen everything she had as the best of the kingdom. And as the queen heard so many describe what Gwendolyn baked, she soon decided she had to taste the sweets for herself. So the queen sent out her guards to gather samples from the goods of Gwendolyn’s kitchen, bringing back to her a sample of each, so she could compare their taste with those the staff of her castle had to offer.
With one taste, the queen soon knew that what Gwendolyn offered, had to come from her kitchen. Quickly the queen made an offer to Gwendolyn, to come to work as a baker for her. But Gwendolyn knew that to bake for the queen, would mean that Gwendolyn would also have to give up her first love. As any good that went out from the queen’s kitchen had her seal on it, and nothing else. Making sure all attention was brought to the queen, not to a small, attached note that looked to bring all eyes to the Word of God. As Gwendolyn refused, the queen became outraged. How dare this commoner, this young girl think she could refuse her queen! So the mind of the queen sought to do what her hardened heart had always done, she simple took what she thought she had the right to have. Quietly, the queen sent guards one night to capture Gwendolyn, and to steal all the recipes from Gwendolyn. And as all awoke to find Gwendolyn gone the following morning, the queen soon falsely leaked a story that Gwendolyn had gotten in trouble, and had to quickly escape the kingdom.
As the days passed, all soon began to forget about Gwendolyn, and all of the baked goods they had each day enjoyed from Gwendolyn. Not even realizing that Gwendolyn had not fled the kingdom, but was actually not that far away. Buried in the darkness and the depths of the castle’s prison, left to live out her life there without ever being heard from again. But as Gwendolyn was placed in the cell of that prison, she soon learned that the one she was in the cell with, also had a connection to the queen. For over two years, Margaret shared that cell with her. A woman, that as soon as she spoke, you could tell how well educated she was. A woman of class and posture, that drew your respect from simply being around her. A woman the kingdom had one day in the past also known very well, as she was actually the older sister of the queen. The rightful ruler of the throne, that the queen had conspired with powerful people, to take her place as the ruler of the kingdom.
As time passed in the isolation of the prison, Margaret grew more amazed each day with the young woman who shared her cell. Despite losing all, Gwendolyn was always filled with peace, always quick to share her joy. Always heard praying to the Lord, thanking Him for all He did for her each day. And as time passed, Margaret came to cherish the peace that she saw in Gwendolyn, the hope that this young woman still had, despite the nothingness that daily surrounded her. A peace and a hope that Margaret came to more that just cherish, but one that Margaret soon sought for herself. A peace and a hope that led Margaret to her knees, as she gave her life to Christ.
As the days turned to months, and the months soon became years, Gwendolyn and Margaret began to accept their fate, and to look to the Lord to help them make the most each day of what their fate held. Days filled with moments of talking to the Lord, and turning every moment over to Him. Of knowing He was there as the darkness and loneliness of the prison cell surrounded them. Asking Him to give their life purpose, no matter where this life might find them. And praying, that if it was His will, that one day, the locked doors of their cell would swing open. Their routine continued, until one cold, winter day, when commotion began to fill the entire prison. As the voices poured into the prison, they could begin to hear the cries of excitement that followed. Soon the voices worked their way to Margaret and Gwendolyn’s cell, where shock came on the face of many as they suddenly recognized Margaret’s face. Voices that quickly became quiet, as the people of the kingdom realized they were looking on the face of their rightful queen.
Margaret was overwhelmed at all the people of the kingdom soon told her. The years of deception and cruelty that has began to unravel, as all in the kingdom began to discover the truth of what the queen had done. And as the queen heard the outcries of the people, she soon became the one that fled in the darkness of the night. And as they saw her flee, her staff also fled. Fleeing out of fear of what actions the people might soon take against them. But through it all, Margaret looked to bring stability back to the kingdom, and hope back to the heart of the people of the kingdom. And as Margaret took her rightful place on the throne, she made it clear, only one Throne would now hold its’ rightful place over the kingdom now.
As stability came back to the kingdom, rumors began to arise from neighboring kingdoms. Rumors that had those kingdoms now wondering if they could add to their own kingdom. And as the annual Christmas festival arose, a time when people from miles away would come to celebrate at the palace, the leadership of those neighboring kingdoms, saw it as an opportunity to see if this kingdom was now vulnerable. Hearing this, Margaret realized she had to put on the best face the kingdom could offer, in order to protect the safety of the kingdom. A time of celebration when the visitors from other kingdoms would see the heart and determination of the kingdom. A time when all could see a kingdom that now sought the Lord to protect them, and a kingdom, that was far more stable that the rumors would have all believe.
To accomplish this, Margaret turned to a trusted friend. One who could not only prepare the treats that many came to the kingdom to taste each Christmas, but one who knew the importance of the Lord’s presence that Christmas. Gwendolyn throw her all into everything Margaret asked of her. Making sure each treat was made to perfection, and attached to each treat was the same simple note she had once written from her one kitchen. And as Gwendolyn made sure one staff churned out the baked goods, she made sure another staff spent their days writing and rewriting Gwendolyn’s favorite verse.
The Christmas festival that year was one the kingdom would never forget. The year all in the kingdom would come to remember as the Sweetest Christmas. The year that verse found on each treat, soon became the verse that found its’ way into the heart of many neighboring kingdoms. The year Gwendolyn came to fully understand the power of that verse, and just how sweet the words of the Lord really are. A year that showed Gwendolyn, the bitterness that so many saw as a curse, was actually a part of the Lord’s plan to bring a sweetness to the whole kingdom. A plan that the Lord had already began to put in place, long before Gwendolyn could even begin to be amazed by the plan. A sweetness that not only filled the kingdom, but left a taste in their mouth, sweeter than any honey this world could ever offer!
Praying the plans the Lord has for you are sweeter than honey this Christmas!
